The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1887-01-22

now about to lay before you will not be
pleasant reading for they point unmistak-
ably to the conclusion that the health of
Eikton is not what it should he for town
Of it's population. The most certain test
of the public health of a community is
of course its average death rate for a
number of years, and tue character OF
diseases making up the mortality. | can
today only produce the facts Tor the year
1856 which | am quite sure are ex-
dsducting the six CO. cases of dipb-
liberia the figures are too great for
us. Our population is about two thOus
ands G., 000). a normal death rate for a
well located, cleanly village of this size
should not exceed fifteen GJ) to each
thousand OF population. In this raJo
we should have had during 1856 not more
than thirty 900 deaths. We had fifty
four (54), a raIlu of twenty seven CD
to the Thousand. This is a very high
mortality for city. Consumption caused
I"elNt Nl-l ueaIils, Il very odu showing
for the general health. The septic dis
eases contribute eleven Ol) cases. Pneu
monia four a.. The aggregate shows
adults thirty one CID, children twenty
three (23). Thirty-nve whites and nine
teen culored. These figures convict the
town of uuhealthtuInesS, but they CON
less for panic. Tney call Tor candid
and searching inquiry into the conditions
by which We are surrounded, and the de-
termination, aud removal, or abatement,
OF such influences as are known to be
preiudclal TO tie general health.
Many of these Influences are apparent.
tions OF the great majority of the colored
peop'e, Is all important factor. Ply pens
abound. Slang is done with the
! most reckless disregard OF all deceney
Household NTH Is spread broadcast about
our habltatIous aud The prIvs system de-
serves greater ecu suIe than DR.. Morris
gives 1t. We draw our water from a soil
at least exposed to NTH saturAtiou, and
one eminently quslined to transmit 1t to
our wells. These are substantial elc-
ments OF danger and can but thauk DR..
Morris for the opportunity To emphasiZe
his denuncaJiou thereof. | am certain
however. that EIkJou in these regards,
is no worse than other Mary land towns,
and | believe that "a careful inquiry into
the mortality of villages aud towns, will
expose il rate of mortality that would
stamp Baltimore as the most unhealthy
city in the Union. If my conjecture Is
correct, it is a disgrace to our civilization
and calls loudiy for redress. | commend
the inquiry 10 the press of the state.
In what direction are we to look for re-
lief and remedy? A "pig-pen board"
will beat any com binatiou in any town
of the state for control of It's government,
and few men, mono practically, have the
temerity to attempt the abatement of
nuisance by the common law. | scorched
my hands IN that fire once, and for the
last time.
But again. the remedy? 1t lies in the
enactment Of n general code of sanitary
laws Tor the State. Let the State declare
that no hogs snail be raised, no animal
slaughtered within tine limits OF an III
corporated town. That il shall be the
duty OF town authorities to provide some
method Gas the pal SYSTEM for tho re
moval of human excreta. That it shall
be unlawful to dig prlvy pit therein, aud
We believe the work is half done. | com
mend t. the State Board as useful reading
a report on sanitary laws Tor Mary land,
which contributed to the second report,
when | had the honor to be- one OF its
mem beers. Let the b ,ard beud its ener-
gies to this end. aud the enactment of
practical system OF vital S! lat sites for the
State, and there will be more of good
outcoming, than from all the ''inspec
tious, Inquiries, reports" and SAM
tary conferences to the end of the
century. CHAhLEs n. ELLIS.